Re: What is the average lifetime of a cell phone?

the phone should last a min of 2 years. why do you think contracts are 2 years? But depending on the use of the phone and how much you are spending with the company you are one, they usually see that you are spending the money, so you must be using your phone more than most of the customers, they should allow you to upgrade early.

Re: What is the average lifetime of a cell phone?

Originally Posted by raverose

Does anyone know the average lifetime of a cell phone?

Or do anyone know where I can find that kind of information?

I think that is a complicated question.

If the scope of your question is how long *can and should* a cell phone last, the answer -- with proper care -- is probably somewhere between 3 and 10 years. A lot would depend on the manufacturer and the model of the phone and your luck in not dropping it on the floor or letting it fall into water.

If your question is how long does the average user actually *hold on* to their cell phone, I'd guess 18 months. I don't see many people I know using any particular phone much more than 18 months. People don't perceive cell phones as an accessory they expect to keep for great lengths of time. They view them as devices that are going to get scratched and damaged and that will need to be replaced in a limited time span.

There actually was a post I read somewhere than made the observation that cell phone manufacturers have actually degraded their manufacturing standards over the last several years with the awareness than building a cell phone to last for several years is unprofitable in light of the fact that the average owner's expectation is months of ownership, not years.

Re: What is the average lifetime of a cell phone?

This is a very complex question. Phones are designed to last indefinately, not a certain amount of time. When the internal timer reaches 1000 minutes of airtime, the phone does not self-destruct.

There are certain key factors to how long your phone will last. How you treat it is one of them. All phones fail over time, they are a comsumable product just like anything else, a microwave for example. After time, a phone's RF sensitivity will degrade, much like a microwave will take longer than usual to heat up your food. It's a simple conception that a cell phone wears down the minute you begin using it, just like a TV, a car, and anything else you own.

As for batteries, they are a short-life consumable product. They are only good for so many charges and then they're toast. You can't really take battery life into consideration for this discussion because batteries are not considered or expected to last any length of time.